Improvement in cartridge-boxes



J. C. LUDLAM Y Cartridge Box. No. 110,379. Patented Dec. 20, 1870;

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i animata@ tra @mit Letters .Patent-No. 110,379, dated December 20,1870.

iMPRovEMEN-r iN' CARTRIDGE-Boxes.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it 'may concer-n:

Be a known una I, 'JOHN o. LUDLAM, of Brook! lyn, in-the' county of'Kings and State of New York, have invented .certain Improvements inCartridge- .Boxes, of whichV the following is a specification, referencebeing had tothe accompanying drawing;

The object of my invention is to produce a compact and simplecartridge-box, which shall permit the ready insertion and removal of allthe cartridges, and in which the cartridges shall -be held free fromcontact with each other, so as to prevent accidental explosions,

My device consists of a block formed with verticalA holes to receivevtwocartridges each, one above the other, and provided with horizontalhinged doors, to separatetthe two cartridgesin each hole, and with amovable bottom so arrangedv that a single sliding movement of a knobserves to' elevate thel lower series or tiers of cartridges after thefirst or upp'er series has been used.

In the drawing- Figure l is av longitudinal vertical section of th 4bodyor block of my box, taken on the line z z of fig. 2;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same on the line w w of g.4; v

' Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same; Figure '4 is a horizontalsection of the same on the line a: x of iig. 1; and

Figure 5 is a perspectiveview of the box complete,"

with the flap or cover opened.

A represents the body offthev box, consisting of a rectangular block ofa height about equal -to twice the length of the cartridges, having tworows of vertical holes,.'a, made through it to receive-the cartrdges,which are placed two in each hole, one above across the middle of theholes, or turned up so as to Yleave the holes unobstructed.

Then turned down across the' holes a these bars or flaps l1' serve assupports for the top cartridges to keep them oit' from .those below, andthus the cartridges are held from contact with each other. In this waythe danger of the cartridges exploding or battering each other isentirely obviated.

Two longitudinal vertical grooves, c, are cut through the lower part ot'the block, onethrough each row ot' holes, a, as shown; aud-'through themiddle of theblock a vert-ical hole, d, is made, and a vertical slot,

e, 'euttransversely outward from thishole through the face of the block,as shown in figs. 1, 2, and 4.

The grooves c andthe slot e extend from the bottom of the block abouthalf way to the top of the same,

as shown.

In the lowerl part of the block is .mounted a sliding frame, consistingof two horizontal bars, j, conv nected together, one of said bars beingplaced in each groove c, and extending through or across the whole rowof holes d, as shown, so that the lower cartridges rest thereon, `asshown in fig; l.

To the .bars f f connected an arm, g, which cxtends out through the slote, and is provided with a knpb or thumb-piece ou its end, as shown infigs. 2, 3, and 4, so that by moving the knob upward the bars may beraised and the cartridges upon them shoved up so that their endsprotrude above the block. To the bars j' there is also attached anupright farm, 71, which projects upward in the hole d, and has twospring arms -on its upper end, each of which arms has a'bereled lip orshoulder, t, on the outer side, so

that, when the bars f are raised to elevate the cartridges, thecatehesz' engage over thc edges of the hole 'll -and support the bars,as* required.

To the arm l) and bars fis attached a plate, It',

which, when the` bars f are elevated, strikes the hinged iaps or' doorsand turns them up, .the said doors being so arranged as to fall dowlr bytheirl weight as soon as released.

XVhen the box thus constructed is to be 'filled the arm g is pushed up,and thereby the bars f elevated and the doors or tlaps b turned up. Acartridge is then inserted, point downward, into cach ofthe holes,

so as to rest with its point or Aball on the bars, and with its back endprotruding out of thetop of said holes. Thetwo spring catches i are thenpressed to.- gether between' the thumb and finger so as to release thebars fand thc knob of arm g, then pushed down `so as tolet thecartridges slide down past the iiaps or doors b, which latter then shutdown 'above or over the cartridges. Another cartridge is then placed,point downward, in each hole, a, on top of the flaps or doors b, asshown in tig. l, the end or butt of the cartridges protruding a littleabove the block, so that they may be readily seized and withdrawn.

Then the box is thus 'lilled the upper cartridges, beingr one-half ofthose in the box, are irst used, and then the arm y raised and the lowervseries ot' cartridges shoved up past the doors iu place ofthe topseries, so that they may be removed-by grasping their projecting ends. I

rlhe body or block A may be used in any suitable case, provided withbelts or 4straps whereby to carry it-a slot being, of course, made insaid case, as. shown in lig. 5, -for'the arm g. The body or block may becheap, is not liable to become disarranged or broken,

and can be very rapidly lied and emptied.

It also permits the use of center-pinned cartridges, without danger ofigniting them by the concussion of their ends, which is very important,as this kind of ammunition is now extensively used.

Having thusdescribed my invention,

1.' A cartridge-bw, Aconsisting of the body A provided with a series ofholes a,- in combination with the lifting-bars j: arranged to work inslots in the lower vportion of the body, substantially as and for thepunpose set forth.

2. The hinged doors or aps b', arranged to work' in cavities in thesides ofthe bodyA and support the upper tier of cartridges,substantially'as set forth.

3. The arm h, provided with the spring hooks yi'and the shoulders It',in combination with the bars f, arranged to operate substantially asdescribed.

4. In combination with the lifting-hars f, working in the slots. of thebody A, the handle g, protruding through the vertical slot e,substantially as described.

JOHN C. LUDLAM.

Witnesses:

J AMES IMBBIE, Jr., Gno. D. GUsHMAN.

